


Finding Family

by Caiti (Caitriona_3)



Series: The Agent and the Intern [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Established Relationship, Kid Fic, Multi, Not Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Compliant, Not Captain America: The Winter Soldier Compliant, Not Thor: The Dark World Compliant
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-23
Updated: 2016-03-23
Packaged: 2018-01-16 16:17:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1353778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caitriona_3/pseuds/Caiti
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darcy certainly did not expect her husband to come home from work with three kids...particularly not <i>these</i> three kids.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Cover Art

**Author's Note:**

  * For [indynerdgirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/indynerdgirl/gifts).



> Set between Countdown and Announcement - this came after I re-read some replies on Alphabet Soup. Therefore I blame indynerdgirl for being a complete enabler who likes to feed the plot bunnies. Hope you enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cover art

[ ](http://imgur.com/cMh5aNs)


	2. First Meetings...Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone is together again...and for the first time.

“Excuse me, Mrs. Coulson?”

Darcy quit frowning at her charts and glanced up. “What’s up, JARVIS?”

“Agent Coulson has requested your presence in the main family room.” The AI managed to sound somewhat bemused. The fact that Tony somehow managed to infuse a sense of emotion into JARVIS both astonished and amused Darcy most of the time. Sometimes she wondered if Tony really understood just how much he surrounded himself with the same type of personalities. She’d talked to him about it once, but he probably put it out of his mind to avoid thinking about it. Still…Pepper, JARVIS, Phil…it was a pattern.

She stood up, stretched, and headed for the elevator. The request had not been urgent, but Phil didn’t usually come home so early on a workday. That made things unusual if nothing else. 

“This is kind of a weird time of day to come home, don’t you think?” she started asking even before she actually walked through the doors of the family room. “It’s really not like you to just drop everything and come home early. Usually you’re calling me about working late.” Her lips curved into an affectionate, if confused smile as she spotted him sitting on the table facing the couch. Phil glanced up to meet her gaze and the look on his face stopped her. It held the strangest mix of bewilderment, exasperation, and unhappiness. “What?” she demanded, taking another step, worry lancing through her. “What happened?”

Before he could answer a small head popped over the back of the couch. A towheaded boy peered at her, his hazel blue eyes suspicious. “Who is she?” he demanded, looking at Phil.

Two more heads suddenly came into view. The first belonged to a tiny redheaded girl next to the first boy who stared at her though serious green eyes before giving Phil an equally skeptical look. Another boy craned his neck around the side of the couch, gray blue eyes curious under his mop of dark hair. 

Darcy’s gaze moved from one child to the next, not quite believing what her brain started to shout at her, before finally shifting to settle on her husband. He sighed, nodding at her silent demand for an answer. “It’s them.”

“How-?!” She could not even articulate her question. Her hand flailed slightly as she gestured towards the three kids who, only this morning, had been three of the most dangerous individuals on the planet.

Phil raised a hand and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Loki managed to slip his prison cell-“

“Again?” she muttered, but fell silent as he gave her a look.

“And he attempted some trouble in Central Park. They managed to stop him, but he decided, and I quote, ‘Since you seem determined to meddle in things which are none of your business, perhaps you should relearn the lesson on sharing.’ Then he did something and the area turned smoky. When everything cleared…” His voice trailed off.

“Hello second childhood?” she finished. Her mind flickered through various ideas and thoughts, but she forced them back and tried to focus. “How old are they?”

“We’re not sure,” he explained. “We think they’re around four or five. So far Clint,” he nodded as the blond boy looked up at him, “seems to trust me and the others followed him. Natasha and Bucky aren’t quite so sure.”

“Do they remember…,” Darcy lifted her hands in a shrug. “Do they remember themselves even?”

He opened his mouth to reply, but stopped as the dark-haired boy came around the end of the couch and walked over to Darcy. She blinked at Phil, but then crouched down. Bucky studied her for a moment. He gave her a small smile. “I’m Bucky.”

“Hey,” she smiled back. “I’m Darcy.” He nodded, but didn’t say anything. She took a breath as she tried to come up with something to say. “Are you hungry or anything?” If all else fails, go for food. It was practically a Lewis family motto.

He shrugged. “A little.”

“What do you like?” she encouraged, trying to draw him out. She knew to keep her voice calm but interested. Sometimes she really blessed her family for being seriously fertile. With all of the nieces, nephews, and cousins, she actually had some practice at this.

“Chicken and rice.”

Darcy nodded. “I think we can do that.” His smile grew a little wider, and she glanced over at the others. “Any other requests?”

Clint looked up at Phil, and when the man nodded at him, he gave her a careful look. “Macaroni and cheese and a hot dog.”

“Do you want the hot dog cut up in the macaroni or on the side?” 

“Cut up,” he said; his tiny face cute with its serious expression.

“And for you, Natasha?” Phil asked the little girl. She stared at him, eyes shifting from him to Darcy and back again, but she stayed quiet. Phil perched on the arm of the couch. “There must be something you would like,” he encouraged.

She folded her arms in front of her and bit her bottom lip. Darcy forced herself not to coo or laugh. The look did not fit the tiny fairy-type child, but it screamed Natasha. Some things must have stayed even if the children could not verbalize them. Finally Natasha huffed and her chin went up. “I want some pelmeni,” she stated firmly.

Darcy blinked, and the girl pouted. JARVIS spoke up at that point. “If I may, Mrs. Coulson, pelmeni are pastry dumplings usually filled with some form of meatballs. I have several recipes available depending on what form Agent...” The AI paused and then continued, “Miss Romanova may desire.”

Natasha tilted her head. “I can choose?” she asked softly, an indefinable expression filling her eyes. 

“Of course,” Phil agreed immediately. “What is your favorite?”

“Lamb,” came the soft reply.

“Right,” Darcy nodded, standing up. “So, chicken and rice for Bucky, macaroni and cheese with hot dogs for Clint, and lamb pelmeni for Natasha.” Her eyebrows went up as she looked at Phil. 

“I’ll have a little of everything,” he responded smoothly. “We’ll wait in the media room next to the kitchen if that will work?”

“Sounds good,” Darcy agreed. She glanced towards one of the cameras. “JARVIS, do I have everything I need in the kitchen?”

“Yes, Mrs. Coulson.”

She rubbed her hands together. “Right then, let me get started.” Bucky reached out and took her hand. She smiled at him and noticed Clint climbing off the couch to grab Phil’s, but Natasha frowned. Darcy opened her mouth, but Phil shook his head.

“Natasha?” Phil’s voice remained steady and serious. “Would you like to lead?” After a long thoughtful moment, the little girl nodded and Phil gave her an approving smile. “Go ahead then,” he gestured towards the door. “JARVIS will light the way.”

A line of lights immediately began tracking along the baseboard. Natasha crawled off the couch and edge around everyone to get to the door. Phil and Clint followed her with Darcy and Bucky bringing up the rear. Phil glanced back over his shoulder. “Fury has reassigned me for the time being. I’ll be working out of the local area until they’re back to normal. He plans to keep the helicarrier nearby as well.”

“Go figure,” Darcy shook her head. “Thor and Steve have most of the Brain Trust in Asgard of all places while Tony and Pepper are on vacation. If I was Fury and Loki was popping up, I’d keep near the city as well.” Her lips twisted. “I like Sue and Ben well enough, and can stand Richards and Storm for short periods of time, but there’s only so much the Fantastic Four can do against Loki.” She rolled her eyes. “Not that I think we’ll manage much better, but at least SHIELD’s got enough experience not to be stupid and cocky over it.”

“True,” he nodded as he followed Natasha into the media room. “We’ll need to move into one of the family apartments for now,” he pointed out. “Our suite isn’t big enough for us and three children.”

“I expected that,” she replied. She directed Bucky over to the couch. “Would you put on a movie of some kind, JARVIS?” she asked. “Kid-friendly…low on violence.”

“Of course, Mrs. Coulson,” JARVIS agreed. “Would _Toy Story_ be appropriate?”

“That should work,” Darcy approved. She ruffled Bucky’s hair and smiled at the other two. “Enjoy the movie. I’m going to work on dinner.” Her eyes met Phil’s. “What about the apartment on the same floor as our suite? It’s got four bedrooms.”

His sigh was heavy with both concern and acceptance. “We have to plan long term,” he noted. “We’ve got no idea how long this will last and Loki is unlikely to lift it before his plan, whatever it is, plays out.” Rubbing his forehead with one hand for a moment, he acquiesced. “That will help keep them busy anyway,” he told her, his gaze flickering to the children. “They can plan out how they would like to decorate their rooms.”

Darcy bit her lip. She’d only been thinking of space, not the future. “What if-“ she started, but interrupted herself. Resolutely pushing the thought to the back of her mind, she straightened her shoulders. “Right, hope for short term, prep for long term, and take it as it comes. We can do this.” There was a moment of silence before she looked up at him with a worried expression. “We _can_ do this, right?”

Phil reached out and pulled her into his arms. He rested his chin on top of her head. “We can do this,” he affirmed in his quiet way. “We can and we will.” Her arms crept around his waist, her anxiety clear in the clench of her hands. He rubbed his cheek against her hair. “We’ll get them back. It may take a little time, but we _will_ get them back.”

“Yes, okay,” she spoke softly, pulling back to meet his gaze. She gave him a tremulous smile. “In the meantime, you have a movie to watch and I need to make dinner.”

He smiled down at her. Catching her chin in one hand, he pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “Call out if you need something.”

Darcy headed towards the kitchen, pausing at the doorway to look back. Phil sat in an armchair, ostensibly watching the movie even though she knew the majority of his attention was focused on the children. A small shiver ran down her spine, but she forced it away. _Focus on the small stuff_ , she told herself. _Dinner for now. The rest will just have to follow and it will get better._

She hoped.


	3. Interior Decorating with Kids

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the kids choose their own decor, Darcy can see hints of her spies peeking out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ummm...this may go a little longer than I had planned?

They managed dinner and the first night in a more or less casual fashion, but only because the ‘kids’ were tired from the day before thanks to the fight, the magic, and the stress. It had been a chore getting them to choose rooms, but once that happened, they slid exhausted into bed. Phil and Darcy spent the next few hours ruthlessly organizing their move into the larger apartment. They wanted the move done as expeditiously as possible.

Thank goodness for the Stark credit card and Pepper’s contact list of awesome. 

Between the two, the move happened within one day. Phil oversaw the move and the movers with JARVIS’ help while Darcy spent the day in one of the many computer labs with the three kids. She certainly wasn’t going to let them spend who knows how long in undecorated rooms, so they did some online shopping. Well, they picked while JARVIS handled the actual purchases and deliveries. Darcy made a note to kiss Tony when he got back for creating the AI. JARVIS equaled awesome. The AI even set it up so the kids could just talk and kid-appropriate pictures would fill the screen. It made for an interesting and sometimes loud morning.

At least when it came to the boys…their little red-headed fairy seemed less inclined to jump into the fun.

Natasha stared at the computer for a long time before looking at Darcy. “What do I choose?”

“What do you like?” Darcy riposted gently.

“That’s not how it works,” the little girl insisted. “You’re supposed to tell me what to choose.”

“I can’t _help_ you choose, if I don’t know what you like,” Darcy pointed out. Really, if there were any possible way to do it, she would go back and take a taser to every single adult in the Red Room operation. No, better, she would sic Thor on them…maybe Steve too. “If you pick something you like, maybe then I can help you narrow things down.”

“But…” Natasha’s voice trailed off.

“Just think about it, Sweetheart,” Darcy said, reaching out to tuck a lock of red hair behind a tiny ear. Natasha froze, watching with wide eyes, and it broke Darcy’s heart just a little bit more. “Why don’t you take a few minutes to think, okay? You don’t have to hurry. This isn’t a race. We just want to make sure you like your room and will be comfortable there.” Patting one small shoulder, Darcy glanced to the next station. “How you doing there, Hotshot?”

Clint eyed her carefully before shrugging. “Can I have birds?”

“Live birds?” she frowned.

“No,” he huffed and she had to push down a laugh. He looked way too adorable with his scrunched up nose and the spattering of freckles. “I want to decorate with pictures of birds.”

“Okay,” she nodded. “What kinds of birds?”

He pointed at the screen. “These kind.”

Moving over to view the images, she really had to bite back her amusement. Birds of prey…naturally. Hawks, falcons, and owls filled the screen. “Yep,” she replied, letting her smile grow bright. “You can definitely have all the pictures you want. Do you want them framed or more freeform?”

“Both?” His voice was way too careful and studied for a five-year-old. 

“What about colors?” she asked.

“Umm,” he bit his lip and shifted a little in his chair. Finally, his voice lowered to just above a whisper. “I like brown and purple,” he mumbled. Then he went still, refusing to meet her eyes as something scared entering his face.

Adding more people to her wish list for ‘time travel ass-kicking’, she brushed a kiss across his temple and ruffled his hair. “You got it.” He stared at her. She winked before stepping away and moving towards Bucky, addressing JARVIS as she went. “See what we can find, J? Show Clint and if he says yes, let’s get it done. Strong brown with muted purple, I think…kind of like…” Her voice trailed off for a moment and then she sighed. “Something around the shade on Hawkeye’s uniform.”

“Of course, Mrs. Coulson.”

“So, what have we got going on over here?” she queried, crossing to Bucky’s side. “Picked anything yet, Sport?”

“I like the old pictures,” he told her, peering at her through his bangs. She brushed those back and he ducked his head, letting them fall again. Then he pointed towards the screen. Movie stars from the thirties and forties smiled and smirked and stared back at them.

Her lips curved in a smile even as her mind tucked away the knowledge that their memories had to be buried under their current personalities. They weren’t wiped away, just misplaced for the time being. Although…she and Phil had actually realized that last night, hadn’t they? After all, Bucky showed no surprise, no worry over why one arm was different than the other, or why only he had an unusual arm. They didn’t question him, simply going with the flow, but his lack of awareness seemed to indicate some kind of acceptance.

Not to mention the fact that the arm shrank to kid-size along with his body confirmed either very advanced science or ridiculously unearthly magic. That didn’t mean Loki wasn’t still a major migraine on steroids. It just meant he wasn’t a complete…jerk.

“Golden era Hollywood, hmm?” She worked to keep her voice casual and steady. “We can definitely work with that. Do you want your room in black and white or would you prefer some colors?”

“Black and white,” he replied, one corner of his mouth lifting up.

She gave him a sideways hug. “JARVIS, black and white, but it needs some kind of design to it. Maybe the old skyline? Not the modern day, but something from the forties? Also, add framed pictures and maybe a good quote or two from Clark Gable or Spencer Tracy.” Something seemed to move in Bucky’s eyes, but it vanished before it could become clear. Now he looked frustrated. She shook her head. “Let it go,” Darcy told him. “It doesn’t matter right now.”

He nodded, but didn’t speak. 

“Ballet.”

She turned as Natasha’s voice broke the silence. Sharp green eyes watched her carefully, so Darcy started back towards her. A hint of suspicion and resignation entered the pixie-like face. It was so odd how much of their adult selves she were hinted at in their childlike forms. Natasha actually was a tiny girl, nothing like the tall elegant woman she would become, but she already possessed the grace that would one day be lethal. Clint’s form was compact, perfect for the future acrobatic archer while Bucky had lankiness to him, already suggesting the lean shadow he would become. 

Darcy shook off the thoughts and focused on the lurking fear hidden in Natasha’s gaze. “You like ballet?”

“Yes,” she answered in a defensive tone.

“Any one in particular?”

Natasha shrugged, “I don’t know. I just like ballet.”

“That’s fine,” Darcy smiled, tugging one lock of hair. “We can go with ballet in general. What about colors?”

That judgmental gaze remained steady. “I like soft colors,” she replied. “Green and white and brown, but…” Now her voice trailed off.

“But?” Darcy prompted. 

Little fingers twisted around each other and green eyes skittered away to look over Darcy’s shoulder. After a long second Natasha managed to whisper, “No red.”

“Not a problem,” Darcy nodded immediately. When Natasha looked at her with wide, disbelieving eyes, Darcy gave her a gentle smile. “It’s your room, Sweetheart. If you don’t want red, then there will be no red.” She leaned against the desk and considered. “Okay, JARVIS, going with that color scheme, let’s get some of those silhouette type figures for ballet and then some framed photos of major ballets…concentrate on Russian ones.”

“Yes, Mrs. Coulson.”

“Right, then,” Darcy clapped her hands. She gave the kids a quick smile. “You three have done some fantastic work! Tell you what. How about we have some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and watch a movie? Then we can check on Phil. Sound good.” None of them jumped up like her nieces or nephews would, but they brightened. “Clint, why don’t you lead this time?” Bucky took her hand again, and Natasha actually walked beside her. The little girl didn’t reach out or anything, but it was better than yesterday. Darcy counted it as a win.

She put together a plate of sandwiches, pickle spears, and some chips. Another plate held a small assortment of cookies, but she left that one on the counter until after lunch. “Okay, we’ve got sandwiches with strawberry, grape, and apricot. Take whatever you like.” Darcy snagged a strawberry square. “JARVIS, why don’t we go with _The Wizard of Oz_?”

“Certainly, Mrs. Coulson,” the AI agreed, starting the movie. “Agent Coulson reports the majority of the basic work has been accomplished. The children’s rooms shall be finished tomorrow. Your apartment should be completed at that time.”

“I do love the power of the Stark-Potts connection,” she laughed. She sat down in the center of the couch and stretched her legs out. Propping her feet on the table in front of her, she kept a peripheral eye on the kids, not wanting to spook them by watching too closely. Bucky climbed up beside her with a sandwich in one hand. He curled into her left side. The other two eyed them for a long moment before Natasha sat on her right. Clint moved to sit between Natasha and the arm of the couch. 

It struck her as odd in so many ways. Clint seemed drawn to trust Phil while Bucky definitely oriented himself to her. Natasha appeared to be torn, like she wanted to trust them, but something held her back. Darcy let it go for now. She would continue to gather the information, but she wasn’t going to put pressure on the kids. They were too young, and even what little she knew about their pasts, she was not going to contribute to it. If nothing else, she wanted to give them something good to remember.

For now…that meant watching Dorothy and her oddball circle of friends beat the Wicked Witch.

_The Wizard of Oz_ seemed to be a resounding success. Natasha concentrated on every musical number but really seemed to like the Munchkins and Toto. At the same time, Clint giggled at the Cowardly Lion and booed the Flying Monkeys. Bucky’s attention focused on Dorothy mostly, though he did shift uncomfortably at the Tin Man and didn’t like the wizard too much. All of them loved the Scarecrow.

It looked like the kids were definitely normal in one way – they needed naps. All of them tumbled into sleep by the time Dorothy made it safely home. Clint lay propped against the arm of the couch while Natasha leaned into him. Darcy looked down to where Bucky slumped against her side. She eased out from under him, carefully leaning him against the other arm. Slipping to the closet she pulled out some blankets the team kept there for movie nights and began covering them up.

Natasha stirred, one eye opening a mere slit to peer at her. Darcy brushed a gentle hand over her hair. “Shh, Sweetheart, everything’s okay.” The eye closed and the girl’s breathing evened out once more. 

Darcy considered slipping into the kitchen for clean up, but she didn’t want one of them waking up and finding themselves alone. Taking an extra blanket for herself, she sat in the nearby recliner where all of them would see her the instant they woke up. “JARVIS,” she whispered, “put on the Flynn version of _Robin Hood_ , on low. “ JARVIS did not respond, but the credits began rolling. She tossed the blanket over her legs and settled back. 

So far so good.

[ ](http://imgur.com/rEH9Frv)


	4. Storms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha just might break Darcy's heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update down! Whew! Tomorrow is a long night, so I won’t get much writing done. More this weekend I hope!

They finished decorating the rooms in record time – even after a delay due to SHIELD machinations pulling Phil out for a fortnight. Granted, that gave Darcy time to firm up some of the plans for the various rooms, but it also included more than one night with her asleep on the couch in front of the television, the three kids passed out on air mattresses. Clint seemed restless and unsure with Phil gone, but it also gave him time to grow a little more trusting of Darcy herself. Tasha also relaxed more, often leaning against Darcy as they sat on the couch watching the boys chase each other around the room.

Darcy swore she would never question the combined power of the Stark fortune and the Pott influence. Contractors jumped at the chance to work in the Tower. It became almost embarrassing to watch how far these people would go to get the opportunity to be added to the Stark-Pott contact list. She would have been overwhelmed with the choices, but Phil narrowed them down, insisting they be vetted by SHIELD first. Having a husband who also held a high rank in a super-secret intelligence agency made some things so much easier.

One artist – perhaps her best choice – brought his fiancée, a world-renowned ballet dancer to pose for the silhouettes to be outlined on Tasha’s wall.

The red-headed little fairy stared entranced as the dancer took various positions, arguing with her boyfriend over the best ones to use. They both wanted drama and grace – they just could not agree on how to display them in silhouette. When the artist finished sketching his outlines, the young woman would sit on the floor beside Tasha and talk about ballet. Phil gave the artist a good bonus and when the man tried to offer a protest, Phil shook his head and indicated the now-animated little girl.

“It’s been hard for her to acclimate to her new life here,” he explained. “You and your companion have opened her up, letting her express herself in a way no one else had yet managed. Consider it a gift of gratitude.”

The artist made no further arguments, but Darcy received a thank you card that included five tickets to the upcoming Nutcracker ballet where Tasha’s new friend would be dancing the part of Klara.

Darcy felt torn between crying and snarling when the three children seemed almost afraid to touch anything in their rooms. Damn the Red Room and HYDRA and Loki and anyone else who had ever sought to tear the humanity out of them. She took several deep breaths and forced the emotion away to focus on helping them relax.

“This place is fantastic!” she gushed as she looked into Clint’s room. Her eyes met his and she offered a smile. “May I come in?” she asked.

His eyes widened, growing to an almost cartoonish size. “What?”

“It’s your room,” she reminded him. “I’m not just going to come barging in unless you’re in trouble or need help.”

“Really?” 

“Yes, really.” She reached out and brushed his bangs back. “So…may I come in?”

“Uh…yeah…” Clint still seemed a bit dazed, but he stepped back.

Her enthusiasm for his room soon broke through and Clint grabbed her hand, dragging her around to show her everything. He told her little bits of trivia about the birds and she let herself enjoy seeing him as a child. Yes she still missed her spies, but…she felt herself falling more and more in love with the miniature versions of them as well. She shook off the thought. “JARVIS could set you up with some documentaries if you want,” she offered. “About the birds?”

“That’d be cool!” Now his eyes sparkled up at her. 

“Yeah,” she agreed, giving in and ruffling his hair. “Want to go look at the other rooms?”

“Sure!” 

They made their way down the hall to Natasha’s room. She sat cross-legged at the end of her bed, staring around with a quiet joy. It took a moment for her to spot them, but when she did, Darcy saw her start to move, pause, and then shake her head. Then she darted forward, throwing her arms around Darcy. A small muffled whisper broke the silence. “Thank you.”

“Hey, Sweetheart.” Darcy pulled back just enough to kneel down and wrap her own arms around the girl. “You’re welcome. So very, very welcome.” 

Natasha buried her face in Darcy’s neck. “It’s mine? Really?”

“All yours.”

Now she felt small drops of liquid on her neck as those tiny shoulders shook in silent cries. Darcy’s arms tightened and she began to sway, trying to offer what comfort she could. Had there been anyone, anyone at all who bothered to give Tasha a little comfort back in the Red Room? Could so many people manage to be cold and unfeeling? 

The sound of footsteps drew her eyes, moist with her own tears, down the hall. Phil stepped out of Bucky’s room, concern flashing in his eyes as he spotted her. She shook her head, signaling him to stay quiet. He nodded back and then held a hand out to Clint. The little boy started towards him, but paused to glance back at Darcy. When she gave him a small smile and a nod, he darted off. The two of them went back into Bucky’s room and closed the door.

Darcy shifted, twisting herself around until she sat with her back against the wall and Natasha in her lap.

“I’m sorry.” The little girl pulled back and tried to pull away.

Not that Darcy let her. “For what?” 

“For crying.” Natasha ducked her head, hiding behind her hair. “I’m not supposed to cry.”

“Oh, Sweetheart.” Now she all but curled around the tiny form. “Those rules don’t apply any more, darling. I promise, baby. You’re allowed to cry, to laugh, to feel now. You don’t ever have to hide from us.’

“But…” Natasha’s voice trailed off. Darcy could feel her breath hitching and waited her out. After a moment she tried again. “But…I don’t…I don’t understand.”

Screw it. Darcy knew in her head that this was still Natasha Romanoff and that one day, sooner or later, the magic would wear off, returning the redhead to her kickass self. She knew that. But for right this moment, this was Tasha…a little girl lost between the sadistic rules of the Red Room and her own childlike instincts. 

And Darcy would be damned if she would let that little girl suffer like this.

“You’re our Tasha,” she replied, her love and affection a fierce note in her voice. Her arms tightened. “You’re our dancer, our little fairy princess, and I can promise you that we won’t let anyone hurt you.”

And Natasha broke.

Bucky’s door opened once more as sobs echoed in the hallway. Phil held a boy with each hand as he walked over to settle beside the female half of the family. He pulled Darcy into his side with Clint opposite her. Bucky curled up on Darcy’s other side, reaching out one careful hand to brush down the red hair spilling over Darcy’s arm. No one spoke as the storm of weeping continued.

Phil finally spoke as the storm began to abate. “I promise too, Natasha.”

Natasha did not stir from Darcy’s hold, or even look up, but one tiny hand slipped free to reach out and curl around the fabric of his shirt.

“We’re family,” he continued, his gaze moving from Natasha to Darcy and then to each of the boys. “We take care of each other.” 

Bucky spoke for the first time. “That’s what families do.”

“That’s right,” Darcy gave him a watery smile. “That’s what families do.”

The rest of the evening passed in a quieter fashion, through dinner and a movie. Persuading the kids to settle down for the night took a good hour, but after two stories from Phil and a second round of hugs from Darcy, they managed to tuck in all three of the munchkins. They retreated to their room to get ready for bed.

“I’m exhausted, but…in a good way.” Darcy brushed out her hair as Phil pulled back their blanket. “Is it okay to admit that I’m kinda torn though?”

“Torn?” He sat at the end of the bed. 

“I want them back,” she assured him. “I really, really do, but…” Her voice trailed off and she dropped her eyes as she toyed with the hairbrush.

His hand appeared in front of her as he slipped the brush out of her hand. “But…you’re going to miss them this way.” 

“Yes.”

“Darcy.” He pulled her up and into his arms. “I’ll miss them too.”

She burrowed into his arms, one hand resting over his heart. The people at SHIELD would probably have collective heart failure if they ever saw him this way. To them, he was Coulson – legendary in his ability to face any situation with a stoic calm to rival Spock’s. (Some of them even had a bet going as to whether or not he was actually a robot. She liked to keep them guessing.) But she knew better. She got to see the other side of him.

That much trust always humbled her.

“Glad to know I’m not alone,” she replied, her voice muffled in his shoulder. “God…Natasha broke my heart.”

“I know. Mine too.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Now...come along. We need sleep.”

Darcy chuckled. “And that’s not even a euphemism this time.” He pinched her side. “Ouch!”

“Be good.”

Now a wicked light flickered in her eyes as her voice took on a playful innocence. “And how good do you want me to be?” Her hand began to trace a path down his chest.

Phil’s lips curved upward as his gaze sharpened. One of his hands moved up to cup her cheek. “Let’s negotiate.”


End file.
